Hate how you look in “selfies?” Don’t panic. We’ve discovered ten expert tips for taking a great selfie. In fact, we’ve got the inside scoop on how to look absolutely stunning in your smartphone photos. After all, our mission at Judith August Cosmetics is to help you put your best face forward in every situation. It’s all about knowing the right techniques.
We first realized that unflattering selfies were a hot topic when we heard on the news that plastic surgery is dramatically on the rise, all because people are horrified at how they look in their cell phone photos. Even worse, maybe you’ve already made an appointment yourself. Yikes! But you don’t really need to fear selfies anymore. Breathe a sigh of relief, and cancel that nose job consultation.
Many of us don’t like how we look in any photo. But selfies are truly the worst. There’s a good reason for that. Cell phone lenses simply are not designed for close-ups. They’re made for wide-angle shots of landscapes or groups of people. (If you’ve ever been in a large group photo standing near the edge of the frame, you may have noticed you look about twice as wide as you do in real life. That, my dear, is the lens distortion, and NOT you.) In a selfie, the lens distortion is enhanced because the camera is so close to the subject. You don’t look like that.
Fortunately, we’ve rounded up the hottest tips from experts for improving your odds of looking better when you take your self-portrait. Read on, and get ready for your close-up!
- Look for diffused lighting. Car interiors are great. Why? Because light is streaming in from windows all around you, lessening harsh shadows. Try experimenting in rooms with big windows. Sometimes being backlit by a large window produces soft, natural light on the face. In some cases, facing the window will erase all traces of shadow and make you look flawless. Try everything!
- Experiment with head angles, rather than photographing yourself straight on. Take lots of pictures to find the best angle for your features. At the same time, you can double check hair and makeup.
- Shoot from a camera angle slightly above your eye level. Lower angles produce the illusion of extra chins. Unless, of course, you want to make your chin bigger.
- Use the zoom feature to tighten up and compress the image a bit. This removes some of the distortion.
- Use apps for post-production to change the exposure or filter the image. These include Snapseed and Camera +. With Instagram, you can use flattering filters.
- Smile a lot. It feels silly, but serious selfies often are not very natural looking.
- If you have dark circles under your eyes, lift your chin. (For the ultimate remedy, of course, you can always count on Judith August Cosmetics for the best concealer products.
- Are you still reading this? If so, check out the special surprise for you at the end!
- Take a ton of shots. You’ll learn a lot about light and angles, and you can try on different expressions to see what works for you.
- If freckles, wrinkles and skin conditions appear exaggerated in your selfie, Judith August Cosmetics products offer solutions that will make you feel good about yourself not only in photos, but in real life, too!